35 years ago I went to see my sister who lived with Gentle World when they were based in Florida. I was a full-on carnivore when I arrived with a truck full of guns, fishing gear, and animal skins and hides of every kind. Everyone was nice, and we went for what I now call “my two hour walk of awakening.” I started the walk a total meat eater and killer, and finished the walk as an enlightened vegan and have never looked back.
In the 35 years, I have never had so much as a craving for the flesh or milk from another animal, as I understood immediately that veganism wasn’t a diet, but a new way of thinking and living. Luckily I had stumbled into the perfect place to learn more and hone my vegan skills. The people at Gentle World gave me the opportunity to make the change fast and painless, and quite frankly I can’t imagine living any other way now.
It’s been a wonderful journey so far. I’ve seen so much change along the way. 35 years ago you had to hunt for a health food store and even then no one had vegan products or knew what a vegan was. Now you can walk into any grocery store and find whole sections of vegan products. It’s heartening to see the changes and keeps me motivated. I used to know every major person in the movement, and now there’s a whole new generation of new names and faces, and I don’t know any of them. That’s great! It shows how much and fast we are growing as a segment of the community.
All I can say is I’m ready for the next 35! Bring it on!!!